Riven

by Sarah Bryant

Devastated by the death of her boyfriend, Lucas, Sophie moves in with her mother in Edinburgh, hoping to grieve quietly. But since meeting Lucas, nothing about Sophie's life has been quiet, and his death doesn't change this. If anything, life has become more complicated and confusing than ever. Her mother is determined that she get over him. A strange, compelling man seems to be stalking her. And she's begun to have visions she doesn't dare believe. Because, if she does, it means that Lucas isn't dead at all. Instead, he's entangled in a fate worse than death. And only she can save him.

Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy

Paperback

First published January 1, 2012

About the author

Sarah Bryant (born 1973 in Brunswick, Maine, USA, is a contemporary British based writer.

She attended Brown University in Rhode Island before moving to Scotland in 1996 to study creative writing at the University of St. Andrews. She settled in the UK after meeting her husband and now lives in the Scottish Borders region where along with writing she doubles as a teacher of Celtic harp, and occasionally triples as a printmaker.

Reviews

[Samantha (A Dream of Books) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I fell in love with 'Bound' by Sarah Bryant when I read it earlier this year and couldn't wait to get my hands on the sequel. 'Riven' exceeded all my expectations and had me gripped and immersed in the story from the very first page. Brilliantly written and with an intricate and astounding plot which was both imaginative and magical, Bryant has done it again with this fabulous novel.

The story picks up where 'Bound' left off. Sophie is devastated after the death of Lucas and tries to rebuild her life with her mother in Edinburgh. In the Scottish city she meets several new faces, including the mysterious Rive and kind hearted Angus but is still haunted by dreams of her lost love.

I can't mention too much about the plot because I don't want to give anything away but suffice to say that there are lots of unexpected twists throughout. You never know what is going to happen and that is part of what makes it so enjoyable. The plot is unpredictable and anything is possible. At the centre of the plot lies Sophie's struggle to survive without Lucas and to cope with losing the love of her life. With this in mind, it was interesting to see the interaction between Sophie and her mother, the latter not understanding how deep the bond between her daughter and Lucas had been.

I enjoyed learning more about Sophie and Lucas's history which was fascinating, including how they first met each other and how their love developed. They are a perfect couple in so many ways and it's easy to understand the attraction which lies between them. I also loved Sarah Bryant's interpretation of the beginning of creation and the detailed descriptions provided of the hierarchy of angels, aeons, daevas and humans.

'Riven' took me breath away! Powerful storytelling with an unbreakable love at it's heart makes this a book to be savoured and read again and again. I can't recommend it highly enough. There was a tantalising peek at the end, of the last book in the trilogy, which is called 'Morningstar' and due to be published in 2013. I'm dying to read it!

[Laura S · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read the prequel to this book earlier this year and had to read this. I thoroughly enjoy Sarah's writing style and find it easy to pick up where I left off. I really warmed to the main character Sophie and her 'friend' Suri. The only thing that makes this a 4 rather than a 5 for me was a disappointing end. I found it rushed and not concluded well; the epilogue of it being 'a dream' felt like a predictable damp squib.

[Shawna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it! Couldn't put it down. It keeps you guessing all the way to the end with characters I love!

[Paige · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good sequel to Bound, good story throughout, but the ending is way too cliché, I hope Bryant can pull back from this.

[Tuesday's Child · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought the first book was better.....